June 19, 2009 // Franchising.com // Orlando, Fla. - Holiday Inn, the most widely-recognized and family-friendly hotel brand in the world, is bringing its global relaunch to WALT DISNEY WORLD® Resort, the most famous family destination ever. The minute guests step into the glass-ceiling atrium of the Holiday Inn in the WALT DISNEY WORLD® Resort, the citrus scent, harmonious sounds, lush foliage and floor-to-ceiling views of the zero-entry tropical pool will guarantee that guests are set to experience a new Holiday Inn.
The property will exemplify the standards of the $1 billion Holiday Inn brand relaunch program. First announced in 2007, the relaunch program was established to create a more contemporary brand image, increase quality and drive consistency. The global estate of more than 3,200 Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express properties is expected to be relaunched by the end of 2010, and more than 800 hotels have been relaunched to date.
Elements of the Holiday Inn brand relaunch at this hotel include:
Refreshed Guest Room
New bedding that redefines the look and feel of each guest room with fresh, white triple- sheeting and pillows that come in two comfort levels: "soft" and "firm." An enhanced bathroom that features an improved showerhead offering superior pressure, as well as a signature shower curtain with curved rod and new amenities to deliver a consistent bath experience that feels fresh and contemporary.
Warm Welcome
A new signature arrival - including new lighting, landscaping and design features - that creates an energized and branded sense of welcome that is universally recognizable. Customized music and scent selections also engage guests in a complete sensory experience, and a decluttered front desk to promote a more efficient and interactive check-in process.
New Service Promise
A best-in-class service culture - "Stay Real" - to further ensure the team develops the behaviors and skills to best serve guests so they feel like individuals and not numbers. Genuine people delivering real service. Leading the charge, will be a newly created position at each hotel - the Guest Experience Champion.
"When the Holiday Inn in the WALT DISNEY WORLD® Resort opens this fall, it will be both the newest property in the Downtown Disney® area and the only Holiday Inn on Disney property," said John Merkin, senior vice president, Brand Management, Holiday Inn Brands, the Americas. "Many of today's travelers have memories of staying at Holiday Inn during their own childhood family vacations, and we're excited that our new contemporary brand will now be a part of even more vacation magic."
The 14-story Holiday Inn is scheduled to open in fall 2009, within walking distance to the Downtown Disney® Marketplace. The 323-room hotel will include 11,000 square feet of meeting and event space, a restaurant, lounge and all-day dining. The hotel's dining facility, The Atrium Restaurant, offers the Holiday Inn Best-4-Breakfast menu, featuring signature items such as Cinnamon Supreme French Toast and Skillet Inspirations. Kids 12 and younger eat free at Holiday Inn when ordering from the kids' menu in the hotel restaurant and accompanied by a dining adult. Room Service Right...On Time, also a standard at all Holiday Inn hotels, ensures that guests' room service orders are accurate and delivered on time, every time.
Relaxing and contemporary, guestrooms are designed with a soft color palette and outfitted with a 32" LCD HD television, crisp, white bedding with pillows that come in two comfort levels: "soft" and "firm," complimentary wireless and wired Internet access, Rainforest Alliance® certified coffee, an individual coffeemaker and an electronic safe that accommodates laptops up to 17". Bathrooms include a specially designed showerhead that offers superior pressure, as well as a signature shower curtain with curved rod and new amenities. Every double room features two queen beds, rather than two double beds, making it comfortable for a family of four to share one guestroom. Each king room includes a sleeper sofa and a spacious walk-in shower. Many guestrooms have balconies from which guests will enjoy views of the Walt Disney World® Resort's nightly firework shows.
Holiday Inn in the WALT DISNEY WORLD® Resort maximizes its status as the only Holiday Inn on Disney property, offering a host of enviable privileges, such as complimentary transportation running every 30 minutes to all the Walt Disney World® Theme Parks, guaranteed access and preferred tee times at Walt Disney World® golf courses, advance reservations at Walt Disney World® restaurants, access to legendary Disney character breakfasts, an on-site Disney retail store and free delivery service of Disney-attraction purchases to the hotel.
Along with the advantages inherent to being part of the WALT DISNEY WORLD® Resort, recreational fun abounds on-site at the hotel, with a state-of-the-art fitness complex, a jogging and exercise path, a new zero-entry heated swimming and connected lap pool, an outdoor hot tub and sun deck, and a conveniently-located game room situated between the main lobby and outdoor pool.
Holiday Inn in the WALT DISNEY WORLD® Resort is located at 1805 Hotel Plaza Blvd., Orlando, Fla., 32830, just eight miles from Orange County Convention Center and 19 miles from the Orlando International Airport. For more information, or reservations, please visit www.hiorlando.com or call 407-828-8888. The hotel is owned by CIG LBV, LLC, and will be managed by InterContinental Hotels Group Resources, Inc., on behalf of (CIG LBV, LLC).
IHG's management portfolio is one of the largest in the world. As of March 31, 2009, the company operates more than 600 hotels and nearly 155,000 rooms around the world. In the Americas alone, IHG's operations team manages 211 hotels comprised of nearly 45,000 rooms with another 18 hotels and more than 4,000 rooms in the region's management pipeline.
Holiday Inn Hotels and Resorts participates in IHG's guest loyalty program, Priority Club® Rewards. The industry's first and largest guest loyalty program has 43 million members. Priority Club Rewards membership is free and guests can enroll by logging on at priorityclub.com, by calling 1-888-211-9874 or by inquiring at the front desk of this hotel or any of IHG's more than 4,200 hotels worldwide.
With more than 1,300 hotels worldwide, Holiday Inn Hotels and Resorts is the most widely recognized lodging brand in the world. In fact, Holiday Inn was one of the first international hotel brands to establish a presence in China in 1984. Holiday Inn Hotels and Resorts provides the services that business travelers need, while also offering a comfortable atmosphere where all people can relax and enjoy amenities such as restaurants and room service, swimming pools, fitness centers and comfortable lounges. The casual atmosphere and amenities such as meeting and on-site business facilities, KidSuites rooms, and Kids Eat and Stay Free programs, demonstrate the long-standing commitment of Holiday Inn Hotels and Resorts to serving travelers and have helped to establish the brand as "America's Favorite Hotel."
InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) [LON:IHG, NYSE:IHG (ADRs)] is the world's largest hotel group by number of rooms. IHG owns, manages, leases or franchises, through various subsidiaries, over 4,200 hotels and more than 620,000 guest rooms in nearly 100 countries and territories around the world. The Group owns a portfolio of well recognized and respected hotel brands including InterContinental® Hotels & Resorts, Hotel Indigo®, Crowne Plaza® Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn® Hotels and Resorts, Holiday Inn Express®, Staybridge Suites® and Candlewood Suites®, and also manages the world's largest hotel loyalty program, Priority Club® Rewards with 43 million members worldwide.
IHG has nearly 1,700 hotels in its development pipeline, which will create around 140,000 jobs worldwide over the next few years.
InterContinental Hotels Group PLC is the Group's holding company and is incorporated in Great Britain and registered in England and Wales.
Holiday Inn offers today's business and leisure travellers dependability, friendly service, modern facilities and excellent value.